Palmetto St. Augustine is the most popular patented turfgrass worldwide. Due to its versatility, this grass is found across most of the southern and southwestern United States and is a popular choice for Arizona homeowners. Homeowners tend to select it over other St. Augustine brands because of its better color, finer texture, and superior tolerance to shade, cold, frost, heat, and drought. This is due to the extensive root system that grows underneath the soil’s surface.

A Look at the Origins of Palmetto St. Augustine

A review of the history of Palmetto St. Augustine reveals that it has a long and varied past. This grass has been used for centuries, from the earliest days of colonial settlements to the modern era. It is a hardy, durable grass that is well-suited for hot, humid, and even dry climates, making it a popular choice for many Arizona homeowners. Its attractive appearance and ability to withstand a range of conditions have made it a favorite among homeowners and gardeners alike.

Originally a specialized grass with enhanced shade tolerance, Palmetto St. Augustine is now found across the globe, with more than two billion square feet sold and demand continuously on the rise.

Information Regarding Palmetto St. Augustine

Palmetto St. Augustine is a type of turfgrass which is native to the southeastern United States. It is an especially popular grass for lawns in Arizona, and it is used for golf courses, parks, and other large areas as well. This grass is quite tolerant of a variety of soil types, temperatures, and moisture levels, making it an ideal choice for many different environments. It is also a low-maintenance grass which requires less fertilization and watering than other types of turf. Additionally, it is resistant to many diseases and pests, which helps it to remain healthy and attractive over time.

Characteristics and Traits of Palmetto St. Augustine Grass

Palmetto St. Augustine grass has distinctive traits and attributes. It is a type of grass that is well-suited for warm climates and is tolerant of humidity. It is a hardy grass that is resistant to drought, heat and salt, which is one of the many reasons it is a popular sod variety in lawns across Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. The blades are medium to dark green in color and are coarse in texture. It is a low maintenance grass, however, it does require regular fertilization and irrigation. This type of grass is generally free of disease and pests.

In comparison to other varieties of St. Augustine, Palmetto has a more delicate blade that is not as wide. This allows it to make a denser covering of grass. Furthermore, its semi-dwarf stature leads to it growing at a lesser height than other St. Augustines, thus necessitating less cutting to maintain an optimal height.

The natural color of healthy grass is green, but it can have a range of shades and hues. Palmetto is a vivid emerald green.

When it comes to warm-season grasses that can tolerate shade, St. Augustine is at the top of the list, with Palmetto being the cultivar that is the most resilient in this regard.

In comparison to other types of St. Augustines, Palmetto displays a higher resistance to cold, frost, heat and drought.

Establishing Palmetto St. Augustine Grass

For establishing Palmetto in the yard, sod, plugs, or stolons can be utilized; however, there exists no such thing as St. Augustine seed. Installing Palmetto St. Augustine sod is the most suitable option for homeowners looking to have it on their lawn.

If you are thinking about installing Palmetto St. Augustine, then consider contacting the team at Evergreen Turf with any questions you have. If you’re ready to buy, you buy directly on our website.

Upkeep of Palmetto St. Augustine Grass

Mowing and Watering of Palmetto and St. Augustine

Depending on the season, it should be cut to a length of 2-2.5 inches. During the autumn and winter, mowing should be done less frequently and the grass should be left slightly taller than usual. This will help promote the growth of stronger roots during the winter months. You can achieve this by adjusting the mower’s height settings to a slightly higher level.

Weekly, your Palmetto St Augustine sod should receive about an inch of water, including rain. To avoid disease issues, be mindful not to give it too much, as shade and excess moisture can be a breeding ground for disease.

Fertilization of Palmetto St. Augustine grass is an important step in its growth and health. The process of fertilization keeps the grass green and strong, ensuring the lawn looks its best. It is important to fertilize regularly to get the most out of this grass. Check out our lawn care guide: Arizona Sod and Lawn Nutrition & Fertilization for more information.

Controlling insects and diseases in Palmetto St. Augustine is an important task. Using preventative measures to keep the environment healthy is the best way to avoid insects and disease all together. Check out our guide on insect control.

The Saint Augustine grass type is especially vulnerable to chinch bug infestations, so it is wise to use a broad-spectrum insecticide like Bifen L/P if any insect damage is detected. Additionally, white grub worms should be watched for as well. If previous fungal or disease issues have been experienced in the Palmetto grass, a systemic fungicide should be applied in order to avoid future occurrences, particularly during the spring and fall when soil temperatures are changing. Palmetto is able to tolerate more shade than other warm season turfgrasses, making it more susceptible to disease with reduced exposure to sunlight. As such, it is suggested to utilize a fungicide preventively, such as Heritage G Granular Fungicide. Be sure to read product labels before use.

Controlling weeds in Palmetto St. Augustine grass lawns is an important task. Ensuring that weeds don’t overtake the lawn is key to keeping it healthy and looking great.

For St. Augustine turfgrass, it is recommended to use a pre-emergent herbicide in both the spring and fall for effective weed control.

Each year, the NFL puts in fresh turf for the Super Bowl to make sure the game is as safe and visually appealing as can be. This year was no exception at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.

An important thing to note is that when the Super Bowl location is selected, the Super Bowl determines the sod variety and installer and takes over replacing the field and the groundskeeping. The regular stadium staff is replaced by NFL personnel.

This is important because Evergreen Turf is the provider of the sod for the Cardinals for every other event or game that happens at the stadium. We are not the provider during the Super Bowl. When doing our regular routine maintenance of the stadium sod, the sod is typically replaced 2-3 times a year.

So why did the NFL make such a poor choice of sod for the 2023 Super Bowl? Throughout the game, the players were slipping and sliding, which left viewers, both at home and in the stadium, questioning the safety of the surface. Patrick Mahomes from the Kansas City Chiefs was seen slipping on one play, and Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown also had trouble keeping his footing on another.

The reason is because of the halftime show. The halftime show is more important to the NFL than the game is, so they focus on the look of the field over durability, stability and player safety. This is why they went with the Tahoma 31, overseeded heavily with winter ryegrass.

The sod is laid 4 weeks before the game, then 2 weeks before the game they begin rehearsing the setup and take down of the halftime show, which requires 26 pieces of heavy equipment repeatedly crossing the field in defined patterns which causes compacting of certain areas to the hardness of cement while other parts of the field are softer when a less durable sod is used. The heavy traffic, combined with too much ryegrass, and too much water in the new sod, caused the slipping and sliding we saw in the Super Bowl this year.

The players themselves have weighed in on the matter as well. According to Yahoo Sports, Eagles defensive end Haason Reddick said, “I’m not going to lie, it’s the worst field I ever played on. It was very disappointing. It’s the NFL, you’d think it would be better so we can get some better play. But it is what it is.”

Even the players often don’t know the details of who makes decisions to install the sod, why they choose the sod variety they desire, or that if they had played on the field when the sod was chosen and installed by Evergreen Turf, there might have been much fewer slips and blunders. But Rihanna’s performance looked great, which is what mattered to the NFL when choosing to overseed too heavily for the field.

As for us at Evergreen Turf, we are a proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals. As a premier provider of sod in Arizona, Evergreen Turf is dedicated to ensuring the Cardinals’ field is ready to go on game day. Therefore, great care is taken in selecting, cultivating, and maintaining the particular variety of sod that is used in this unique and prestigious venue.

Now that the Super Bowl is over, Evergreen Turf is re-sodding the field and replacing the Superbowl sod. Here are some pictures of our re-sod.

We specialize in residential and professional sod installation across Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Got questions? Talk to one of our sod specialists today.

A question we get asked frequently around here is…

“How often should I fertilize Bermuda grass?”

It’s a great question and knowing the answer will help ensure that you have the healthiest lawn possible; one that thrives through the warm months of the year.

So here is your answer:

You should fertilize your Bermuda grass about once a month in the spring using a quick-release, complete fertilizer Once your lawn is fully green and dense, you can switch to a slow-release fertilizer. This will slow the growth of your lawn, so it doesn’t become overgrown.

It’s important to switch to a slow-release fertilizer once your lawn is dense, so that you won’t get a lot of growth. This ensures you’re caring for your lawn in the most efficient manner.

We have several other articles related to the topic of Bermuda grass, including midiron, and fertilizer on our site. Here’s a round-up of those articles, in case you’re still curious or have some other questions.

Other Helpful Articles

How To Get Rid of Weeds – This article describes the most common weeds in Arizona and how to eliminate them from your lawn.

Effects of Over-fertilizing – This article explains how you can accidentally over-fertilize your lawn. It also tells you how to repair an over fertilized lawn.

Can I Fertilize My Lawn in the Summer – This article answers that question and gives additional fertilization tips.

Best Fertilizer for Bermuda Grass – This article goes into detail on which fertilizer is best to use on your Bermuda sod, depending on the time of year and the maturity stage of your lawn.

Common Lawncare Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – This article helps you avoid the most common lawn care mistakes that homeowners make.

Best Time of Year to Aerate Your Bermuda Grass Lawn – This article explains the process of aerating your lawn, why it is important, and when is the best time of year to do so.

About Evergreen Turf

Here at Evergreen Turf, we pride ourselves on being your go-to source for sod in Arizona. Whether you just need tips on how to keep your lawn healthy year-round or you need to purchase sod from us, we have you covered. We even offer installation of our sod products, so you don’t have to worry about installing it yourself.

Not sure which type of sod is right for your lawn? Take our quiz to help you select which variety of sod is suited for your unique conditions. For all things related to lawn care, be sure to check out our lawn care section on our website, which covers everything from irrigation and mowing to nutrition, insect control and fall over-seeding.

If you have any other questions about Arizona sod, whether it has to do with fertilizing your Bermuda sod or anything else, contact our team today and let us know how we can help you. You can also ask us questions or just say hi on our Facebook page!

When people think back on the olden days, everybody pictures the log cabins that appear as part of America’s history in some of the oldest photos available. While it’s true that trees did serve as the home retreat for many settlers during our country’s infancy, another of Mother Nature’s materials was also widely used among pioneer families to make homes: Sod.

Bark and branches were fantastic when they were available, but not every part of our country had access to ample amounts of trees. In fact, there were areas where people could go for miles upon miles without spotting a single tree. As settlers traveled across the plains and prairies of the central and western United States, they were forced to get a bit more creative with their natural resources. In these barren lands where the idea of forests was purely fictional, homesteaders turned to the ground beneath their feet to build roofs over their heads.

How Sod Homes Were Made

It all started with the strong, intricate root systems of plains grass. Holding the earth beneath them in their tight, compact grip, the roots served as a starting point for what would later become sod bricks. When the earth was soft and moist, particularly after a good rain in the summer or a spring thaw of melting snow, settlers would use ox-drawn sod cutters to plow the land and break up the earth. These sod cutters were particularly designed to cut the clumps of dirt into long and narrow pieces. From this point, the settlers used axes to chop the strips into brick-sized pieces. Just as you would expect, these sod bricks were then stacked vertically, one by one, side by side, forming the walls of settlers’ sod homes.

Once the walls were constructed, the structures were usually topped with roofs made from interlaced twigs, hay, thin branches, or other readily-available natural resources. The final touch often included another layer of sod atop the twigs and branches as a finishing touch. It wasn’t uncommon to see sod homes built into the sides of hills or banks. This saves the settlers time and energy, as they could dig away the earth at the side of the incline, using the dug-outs to serve as portions of the homes’ walls and roofs.

Why Sod Homes Worked

For starters, any shelter is better than no shelter at all. Prairie grass and the surrounding sod was readily available in certain parts of the country, and it served its purpose in providing walls and a roof to those who needed them. Because sod was available in ample supply, these houses were cheap to make. Their earthen construction also worked well in accordance with seasonal temperature changes; they were often warm in the winter, and they usually stayed cool in the summer months.

Why Sod Homes Didn’t Work

Alas, you’re not likely to look around and see tons of sod homes as you’re driving to and from work these days. As it turns out, sod homes had some significant deficits, despite doing their best to keep settlers warm, safe, and dry. Of course, being that these homes were made completely of grass and dirt, snakes, mice, and other critters saw no problem calling these houses their homes. Rattlesnakes were known to move in and become unwelcome roommates, and there wasn’t much the settlers could do about it.

These earthen structures were also susceptible to the elements. Leaky roofs were quite common, if not completely expected. Once water found its way into the homes, the dirt floors became muddy messes. Naturally, the sod that comprised the roofs, when wet, became quite heavy as well. Collapses and cave-ins were common in the days after big rains, as the layers of earth took days to dry out, and the structures weren’t often sturdy enough to withstand the heavy sod tops.

All in all, sod homes did their duties until something better was able to be built. Although they certainly weren’t meant to last for lifetimes, America’s early settlers learned to love sod in their own rights and rely on this great material that our Arizona Turf team prides itself on today.

Did our story about sod houses and settlers teach you something new about our country’s history? We’d love to hear your thoughts at our Evergreen Turf Facebook page!

It’s that time of year again…time for the Arizona Cardinals training camp which includes 18 practices and two preseason home games going on now through August 24. It’s free and open to the public, giving Cardinals fans the opportunity to watch the pro football players practice on the NFL’s top grass field, according to player surveys.

The field is truly one-of-a-kind. It’s made up of 19 million pounds of soil, sand, water and Bermuda grass. And in order to make it transportable, it’s placed in a movable barge that can be rolled in and out of University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale on 500 steel wheels.

The unique technology on the Cardinals field has allowed it to withstand 10 annual home games, high-school title games, soccer, the Fiesta Bowl, two national championship college games and one Super Bowl over 8 seasons. What’s more, the fact that the field can roll out has allowed dozens of other events to take place inside the stadium without any damage done to this valuable field.

The Cardinals will be enjoying this training camp for the second time on this field, a marked change from the original training camp location in Flagstaff, Arizona. And according to Arizona Central, the Cardinals vice president of operations, John Drum has gone on record saying that the turf technology at the stadium has worked “flawlessly.”

In fact, the surface is softer and more stable than standard outdoor fields, which actually reduces player injuries. The only other field that comes close to the Cardinals field in North America is the Houston Texans field, but even that field has its sod grown in 8×8 pallets that are installed with forklifts.

So who is responsible for creating this original playing field that is considered to be the best in the country? None other than Evergreen Turf.

Jimmy Fox says, “This turf technology combines a soil and sand base with synthetic fibers that help the grass roots bind tightly together.”

The watering technique is unique as well, with the water applied under the sod in order for the roots to grow deeper into the sand. As for mowing, the field is typically cut to a half-inch.

The type of sod used on the Cardinals field is called Tifway 419. It’s known for its resilience to wear and tear as well as fluctuations in temperature.

Fox says, “The field does go into shock each time it’s rolled in or out of the stadium, with temperatures dropping from more than 105 degrees in full sunlight to 65 degrees in the shade.”

He added, “It grows slower indoors, just like in winter time, and takes three or four days to start growing again once it is rolled back into the heat.”

New sod is scheduled to be installed on the field around December, just before the Fiesta Bowl.

To check the practice schedule and get more information on attending the training games, visit www.azcardinals.com. Visit AZ Central to view the Evergreen Turf article on the Cardinals field..

Another great year at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship played at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain golf course. This Jack Nicklaus signature golf course is a stunning course and it seems like this year it challenged most of the players. In the end of the week long match play championships Hunter Mahan was able to push his game the furthest and beat Rory McIlroy in the last match. Mahan is now the World Golf Champion after winning with a 2 and 1 score at this year’s Accenture Match Play Championships. Below is an image from Accenture Match Play Championship of this years course out at Dove Mountain.

It’s been reported that the semi-finals and the finals were played on the same day, which doesn’t usually happen. This could have attributed to the way some of the players played. We are pretty sure Mahan is happy with the way the game played though. Even after traveling and playing in other tournaments for the five weeks before Accenture Match Play Championship Mahan still had enough energy and drive to play hard and win. This win for Mahan this gave him his second world championship title.

Next year we look forward to seeing who takes the win at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. Evergreen Turf grows sod in Arizona for the Dove Mountain golf course and many other Arizona golf courses that also host tournaments. Follow this link for a full video recap on Round 6 of the Accenture Match Play Championship, from the PGA

If you read our earlier blog post about the 2012 Super Bowl feeling like deja vu from the 2008 Super Bowl played on our local sod field at Arizona Cardinal’s stadium, then you know that we don’t want to say we told you so, but we had a feeling this years result might happen.

While Patriots fans certainly are not feeling good about Super Bowl XLVI (46), they did fight hard until the end trying to win this years game. In the end the Giants took home the win, from the Patriots one more time at a Super Bowl with the score ending in 21 – 17. We also hear that Indiana did a great job at hosting this year’s game and events that come along with it; so at least the fans, from both teams, were able to have a good time before the game – as only the Giants fans were celebrating after the game.

In just a few years the Super Bowl will be back in Arizona and we at Evergreen Turf look forward to conditioning our locally grown Arizona sod for the University of Phoenix Stadium to host the game. Considering the match up of the Patriots and the Giants started in Arizona maybe they will be playing here again come the 2015 Super Bowl. They say third times a charm so maybe both the Patriots and the Giants will make it back to Arizona and the Patriots could take the win.

The Waste Management Phoenix Open has come and gone and Valley residents are recovering from all the fun and suspense of watching the players battle it out for the win. The winner of the 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open was Kyle Stanley, who took home over a million dollars.

This popular golf tournament not only has the professional golf players leaving with money, but Valley charities also benefiting from the Waste Management Phoenix Open. This year one of the days events of wearing green raised $35,000 for Arizona Clean and Beautiful.

Back to the game… we hear Stanley was very happy with his first place trophy as the week prior he was defeated at another PGA tournament. Here is how he and some of the other players finished the weekend with the final leaderboard from this year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open:

• Kyle Stanley 69-66-69-65—269 (-15)
• Ben Crane 69-67-68-66—270 (-14)
• Spencer Levin 65-63-68-75—271 (-13)
• D.J. Trahan 72-70-64-66—272 (-12)

We are thrilled that Stanley’s first time playing on the TPC greens at the Waste Management Phoenix Open brought him a win – congratulations Kyle Stanley!

Follow this link for a full video recap on Round 4 of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, from the PGA. We can’t wait to see who takes next year’s trophy home from the Open. In the meantime we know the TPC fairways sod will be ready for the tournament.

Arizona is home to many golf tournaments, but one of the most well known tournaments played in the Phoenix Metro area is the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which is happening this year on January 30 – February 5 at TPC Scottsdale. TPC Scottsdale is one of the local courses that Evergreen Turf supplies Arizona sod to. Come time for the Waste Management Phoenix Open the greens will be all set, not only for the golfers but also the crowds and the partiers that the Waste Management Phoenix Open is known for.

The Thunderbirds have been hosting the Waste Management Phoenix Open for many years. Through their efforts, they are able to give five golfers sponsor exemption this year. So far four of the five golfers have been announced, and they are: Jeff Quinney, Fred Couples, Harris English, and Mark Calcavecchia. Not only do the Thunderbirds help bring in some great golfers, they also give back to the community and the fans of the game with all of the festivities at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Thunderbirds work with dozens of Arizona charities that benefit from this event with donations of millions of dollars. While the Thunderbirds want to ensure there are great players at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, they also want to make sure the community is benefitting from it as well. One of the favorite things they are known for with fans is the Greenskeeper Tent.

During the golf tournament, there is a very popular section for patrons to watch the players from, the Greenskeeper Tent, which will be moving this year. If you have a Greenskeeper ticket for the 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open you will now be viewing the tournament near the lake, along the 18th fairway and the 17th green. While here you will be able to see some of this years players, like Phil Michelson, Dustin Johnson, Justin Leonard, Lucas Glover and many more. Even though the Greenskeeper Tent will be moving locations it is still the most popular place to be and be seen at Waste Management Phoenix Open.

In any event, when you come to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, get there early and wear lots of sunscreen, the Arizona weather might be gorgeous, but the sun is still pounding down. This large tournament allows you to follow all of the players or stick with your favorite, in any case it’s best to let them play golf and not interrupt them. Also many people like to come out earlier in the week of the Waste Management Phoenix Open since there are different events going on all around, like the FBR/Xerox Silver Pro-Am. This particular event is popular because there is a lot of celebrity participation in it. There are also other Pro-Am games during the week as well if you are a golfer and want an opportunity to play. Another place to check out while you’re at the Waste Management Phoenix Open is the new Albertson’s Fan Zone. Here you can do all sorts of activities like check out the newest ATV and UTV from RideNow Power Sports or eat at Zinburger. This area is not only a fan zone, but a food, fun and entertainment zone!

If you didn’t get enough fun while at the Waste Management Phoenix Open during the day you can always come back at night on Wednesday – Saturday for the famous Birds Nest, adults only. This year the Birds Nest is sponsored by Coors Light and has a ton of great events in store for Waste Management Phoenix Open patrons. Opening Night at Birds nest will feature Slightly Stoopid. The Goo Goo Dolls will also be at Birds Nest to perform and Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas will be there for a special DJ set.

Waste Management Phoenix Open is a fun filled week for everyone to enjoy. If you need more information about the events happening at the Waste Management Phoenix Open click here. Also if you want to check out another great golf tournament in Arizona make sure to read our blog about World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship 2012 happening February 21 – 27.

Seems like Super Bowl history might be repeating itself this year, only thing that’s different as of yet is the field the game will be played on. Super Bowl XLVI (46) will be the New York Giants vs. the New England Patriots, and it’s not the first time for these teams to come head to head at the Super Bowl. Just three years ago these same teams battled at University of Phoenix Stadium home to the Arizona Cardinals. After a hard fought battle on one of the top NFL fields, the New York Giants took the win for Super Bowl XLII (42).

This year Super Bowl XLVI (46) will be played in Indianapolis on the Colts field, where the Giants and the Patriots will be battling head to head, yet once again. Considering the history between these two teams it seems like the Patriots will have a lot of vengeance while playing the Giants. Not to mention that the season that these two teams competed, the Patriots were undefeated until the Super Bowl – one can only predict how heated this game will get.

No matter what team you are going for Super Bowl is a great event to watch as a football fan. There is also all of the feasting on tasty foods, cold beer and entertaining commercials to be watched. Good luck to the Giants and the Patriots!

In just another few years Arizona will be hosting the Super Bowl again, maybe these two teams will come back again or better yet our Arizona Cardinals would be playing on their Evergreen Turf-supplied home turf.